Slimming World v Weight Watchers

melda

Sorry yes I did mean slimming world! haha it was a long post I was getting muddled!

Biglady_2

I know this is a very old thread, but I was googling around NHS referals/weight management and it appears the two the NHS use are Slimming Wold or Rosemary Conley. If there is still anyone out there reading this thread who has tried both can I have an opinion please? I have tried WW in the past (the no points diet) and was successful, losing about 3st and becomming a gold member. (I have also tried Cambridge and lost loads) but as will be coming apparent, I put it all back on again. I don't need to be told what to eat, rather how to re focus my life.

Bronnie

You've nailed it in terms of the need to refocus.

Have a look at the Paul McKenna thread that's already been mentioned on here.

As far as Slimming Clubs "re-educating"............many of us already know what foods we should be eating to maintain a healthy weight and therefore that's not the issue.

SW's plan is easily-followable and effective , but the "eat as much as you want of the free foods" mentality is not helpful long-term in coming to terms with eating a correct portion size,when target is achieved and the world of temptation is once again laid before us.

Why are Slimming Clubs full of women who've been "doing the plans" on and off for most of their adult lives?

Vixie_Pixie

Bronnie wrote: »

SW's plan is easily-followable and effective , but the "eat as much as you want of the free foods" mentality is not helpful long-term in coming to terms with eating a correct portion size,when target is achieved and the world of temptation is once again laid before us.

I've been following the SW plan since february, and the all you can eat mentality has helped me feel that i can eat until i feel full and not feel guilty about it! But as time has gone on i have found that my portions have actually reduced in size because i am finding that i am feeling satisfied much more quickly. I suppose its my brain telling me that i don't actually need that much food to feel full.

*Vikki*

I could never understand SW the two years I went there, green days, red days and sins etc. I find ww much easier and its taught me to eat healthier to maximise my points.

WhitmoreReans

Just wanted to share my experience

I started with Rosemary Conley last September and took to it straight away. I call it the 'common sense diet' because really there aren't any magic points to count or food combinations that make a difference but just taking control of what you put into your body
ie low fat (less than 5%), calorie controlled (I have set calorie amounts I can have for each meal) and exercise. I used to go to just the exercise class on my weigh in day but now I have added an extra class as I have really got into it. Of the main ones Rosemary Conley is the only one to offer an exercise class when you weigh in - for me it feels better after paying my £5odd that I get something more that just my weight written down on a card.

So I can say I eat healthily, with the ocasional treat, and exercise and it's not a surprise that it works! I have lost 4 stone 3 1/2 pounds. When I hit 4 stone I got a letter from Rosemary herself, which was really motivating. Plus you can use her website and online tv to keep you going. I can say the first bit was hard actually planning meals and learning what was good eating but now it is so easy and I am losing 1 1/2 to 2 pounds every week.

Obviously it depends on what kind of person you are but this kind of diet for me makes total sense and was really easy to take to. I can also see that it seems less of a traditional 'diet' that gets you to give up things and more a way of learning how to eat healthily. I can see my attitude to food and eating habits have changed and that's something I can keep for life! When I reach target it won't be 'coming off the diet' and returning to old eating habits. I have learned how to eat properly.

I hope this will help you look at all your options and see what fits you best with all the other responses. I wish you the best of luck!

consultant31

Bronnie wrote: »

Why are Slimming Clubs full of women who've been "doing the plans" on and off for most of their adult lives?

Because most people don't allow enough time to re-educate themselves about healthy eating.......they think losing the weight is the be all and end all and don't commit to a permanent lifestyle change.

As the saying goes - if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always got!

p-pincher

Definatley a case of each to there own, ive done both ww and sw. managed to loose a stone (regained) each time ive done weightwatchers but i find it really boring and for the most of the time i feel quite hungry. I found it didnt make me re think my eating habits at all. im on my 2nd time of slimming world, the first time it was when it was on red and green and i couldnt really get my head around it (even though i did loose quite a bit of weight).

This time round im on the sw extra easy plan, and i finally feel like im being re educated about food and a healthy balanced diet. As you can see ive lost weight loads of time and always put it back on but this is the first time im not having to count points or weigh every morsel of food i eat. The ee plan is unlimited meat (all fat removed), pasta rice potatoes friut veg portion of calcium and a protion of fibre then a small amount of syns for treats or extras. I normally use mine on things like hp sauce, spread, salad cream etc. Theres a great thread on this forum for support as well. TO be honest i do not really buy into the unlimited amout of foods. I eat until im comfortably full then stop.

consultant31

Biglady wrote: »

I know this is a very old thread, but I was googling around NHS referals/weight management and it appears the two the NHS use are Slimming Wold or Rosemary Conley. If there is still anyone out there reading this thread who has tried both can I have an opinion please? I have tried WW in the past (the no points diet) and was successful, losing about 3st and becomming a gold member. (I have also tried Cambridge and lost loads) but as will be coming apparent, I put it all back on again. I don't need to be told what to eat, rather how to re focus my life.

Hi,
I'm biased as I'm a Slimming World Consultant, but I have also been a Weight Watchers member who was asked to be a leader when I got to my target.

I never believed in the WW ethos for weight loss even though I lost weight with them. I found being given the choice of what I spent my points on didn't teach me about healthy eating as I could choose, for instance, a piece of fruit or a small chocolate bar for the same points......I won't ask you to guess which I chose, lol. Once at target, I found the plan too restrictive for every day living and soon gained back what I lost.

I loved the Rosemary Conley plan when I did that many years ago, but I found that it was difficult to maintain as it was hard to eat out (which I love to do) because, again it was very restrictive, especially on fats. Having said that, I do still use quite a few RC recipes and as a family we enjoy them.

With Slimming World, no food is banned which means I can have unlimited free foods (carbs such as jacket potatoes, pasta and rice along with lean meat and fish), measured portions of dairy and fibre-rich foods and a small amount of higher calorie treats each day.

Today I've had:
scrambled egg, mushrooms, tomatoes and lean bacon for breakfast (I fry in Frylight not fat).
Jacket potato with tuna, sweetcorn and salad for lunch.
There's a roast dinner in the oven as I type....... chicken, new potatoes, 'roast' parsnips, red onion, butternut squash (again all done in Frylight), carrots, brocolli and cauliflower.
Later this evening I may have a glass or two of wine, or a Curly Wurly (my current favourite choccie bar) and a cup of Options before bed.

I have lost 4½ stone with Slimming World and managed to keep most of it off for 6 years now. When I do go over the top (holidays etc) I get back on track asap and lose the weight again fairly easily.

I hope this helps you make up your mind. If you fancy a trial, you can go to www.slimming-world.com and there's a free 7 day menu plan you could follow.

Whatever you do to lose weight, it has to be something you keep at for ever (see previous post) but I truly believe that Food Optimising (the SW plan) is the easiest there is and the healthiest.

Bronnie

consultant31 wrote: »

Because most people don't allow enough time to re-educate themselves about healthy eating.......they think losing the weight is the be all and end all and don't commit to a permanent lifestyle change.

As the saying goes - if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always got!

So in some ways the Slimming Clubs are failing many of their clients at the last hurdle as the long-term message isn't really getting through is it?

Still good for repeat business anyway.:D